.243 question
#11
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Muskegon MI
Posts: 40
RE: .243 question
well, I never had a deer drop from my 243, even a 30 yard shot. And yes I too have felt like I was tracking a bow shot rather than a rifle shot as I crawled around. But I do think it's a great youth gun, and I meanNO offense to those of you using them, I simply prefer my 7mag now. And my son will be using my 243 in a few years!
#12
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Enoree,SC
Posts: 129
RE: .243 question
skeeter
Try using bullet other than the 100 grcore-lok they areconstructed to hold together
for deep penatration on thick skinned heavy muscled critters. elk/moose ect.
Deer in the south don't have those Qualties 2 inches skin and ribs then internal organs
followed by 2 inches of rib and skin.
(internal organsother than the heart are like damp sponges not very tough)
heavyconstructed bullets don't expandvery fast in them.
I suggest 70- 90 gr spire point
Try using bullet other than the 100 grcore-lok they areconstructed to hold together
for deep penatration on thick skinned heavy muscled critters. elk/moose ect.
Deer in the south don't have those Qualties 2 inches skin and ribs then internal organs
followed by 2 inches of rib and skin.
(internal organsother than the heart are like damp sponges not very tough)
heavyconstructed bullets don't expandvery fast in them.
I suggest 70- 90 gr spire point
#16
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
RE: .243 question
ORIGINAL: jnestle
I have only not recovered 3 deer in my life and every one was shot right behind the shoulder, double lung as I actually saw the bullet impact.
I have only not recovered 3 deer in my life and every one was shot right behind the shoulder, double lung as I actually saw the bullet impact.
#17
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
RE: .243 question
ORIGINAL: skeeter170
I bought my son a HR 243 last year. His first deer he ever harvested was with that 243 a 9 pt that scored 131 3/8. He hit like you are suppose to right in the shoulder and out the other. The deer ran about 50 yards with not a drop of blood on the ground. We have another member of our lease that his daughter took her first doe two weeks ago and again hit it great. That deer did not have a blood trail either. They both are shooting the remington corlock 100gr bullet. Is that just the nature of a .243 cal?
I bought my son a HR 243 last year. His first deer he ever harvested was with that 243 a 9 pt that scored 131 3/8. He hit like you are suppose to right in the shoulder and out the other. The deer ran about 50 yards with not a drop of blood on the ground. We have another member of our lease that his daughter took her first doe two weeks ago and again hit it great. That deer did not have a blood trail either. They both are shooting the remington corlock 100gr bullet. Is that just the nature of a .243 cal?
My experience with the 243 is that you generally have a sparse blood trail to follow, but luckily you don't have to follow itvery far.
Also, keep in mind that the higher in the chest cavity the shot is placed the lighter the blood trail. think of a styrofoam cup: You poke a hole towards the bottom fluid leaks quickly, poke hole towards the top and the cup has to fill up most of the way until it starts to leak. So if you poke a hole in a deer high in the chest, the chest cavity must fill most of the way before it start pouring out the hole.
Shoulder shots generally provide a sparse blood trail in my experience, but are usually short track jobs.... Heart shots usually leave aheavy blood trail, buta deer can travel several hundred yards gushing blood from a heart shot. Lung shots usually provide decent blood and relatively short trails.I really don't think you have a problem with bullet type.
#18
RE: .243 question
Good post Shato.
Any caliber, including the 243,will workwhen shots are madebehind the shoulder onbroadside deer. In my experience these shots are lethal and deer generally run less than 100 yards. The lower the shot is placed in the chest cavity the greater the blood loss.
I've shot deer too high (very high lung shots but below the spine) with a 30-06 that didn't bleed much. Same result - dead deer - but not much blood trail to follow.
mouthcaller
Any caliber, including the 243,will workwhen shots are madebehind the shoulder onbroadside deer. In my experience these shots are lethal and deer generally run less than 100 yards. The lower the shot is placed in the chest cavity the greater the blood loss.
I've shot deer too high (very high lung shots but below the spine) with a 30-06 that didn't bleed much. Same result - dead deer - but not much blood trail to follow.
mouthcaller
#19
RE: .243 question
what a story I killed my first deer with a 243 and it was a 9point no joke but it hardly left a blood trail I killed the deer and it was rite were it was supposed to be.....I just didnt like the gun it didnt have enough power to it so I switched to a 308 I tell you what Ive harvested a hog and a big ole 9 point (2nd deer) and it busted my 2nd deer up and it doesnt kick matter of fact the 243 has more of a kick then a 308 cause the 243 has a short barrel so maybe you should switch guns i recomend a 308 keep me on track mail me if your son kills another deer or if you switch to a 308
#20
RE: .243 question
ORIGINAL: bayou_buckslayer
what a story I killed my first deer with a 243 and it was a 9point no joke but it hardly left a blood trail I killed the deer and it was rite were it was supposed to be.....I just didnt like the gun it didnt have enough power to it so I switched to a 308 I tell you what Ive harvested a hog and a big ole 9 point (2nd deer) and it busted my 2nd deer up and it doesnt kick matter of fact the 243 has more of a kick then a 308 cause the 243 has a short barrel so maybe you should switch guns i recomend a 308 keep me on track mail me if your son kills another deer or if you switch to a 308
what a story I killed my first deer with a 243 and it was a 9point no joke but it hardly left a blood trail I killed the deer and it was rite were it was supposed to be.....I just didnt like the gun it didnt have enough power to it so I switched to a 308 I tell you what Ive harvested a hog and a big ole 9 point (2nd deer) and it busted my 2nd deer up and it doesnt kick matter of fact the 243 has more of a kick then a 308 cause the 243 has a short barrel so maybe you should switch guns i recomend a 308 keep me on track mail me if your son kills another deer or if you switch to a 308
How does that work?